Nobody wants to be cast as the office villain. If you’re a boss or manager, then getting your team on your side will not only lead to a happier working environment but will ensure you get the most from your employees. Those who like their supervisor are more eager to please and will often go out of their way to meet and exceed your expectations.
If you want to make sure your employees like you as a boss, here are the top five things you need to bear in mind…
Keep Your Promises
Your employees will like you more if you keep your word. Whether it’s as simple as letting them move desks or as important as reviewing their salary, do what you’ve said you’ll do in the time frame you said you’d do it in.
Give and Receive Feedback
If you’re happy enough to dish it out, then you also have to be willing to take it. Employees actually appreciate feedback and ‘constructive criticism’ of their work, and it will only help improve their performance and the performance of the team as a whole. Be honest with them but also give them the space to critique your own work and managerial style, which will help create a greater feeling of equality between you.
Make the Tough Calls
If there’s one thing people hate about office life, it’s a supervisor who disappears or procrastinates whenever there’s a difficult decision to be made. Your employees will appreciate someone who takes direct and decisive action, rather than letting a cloud of uncertainty hang over the team for days on end.
Be Kind
Sounds simple, and it is! Treat your employees with the respect and dignity they deserve, and always show them compassion even when you’re not feeling at your best. Remember, you’re the more powerful half in any relationship with your employees, so it’s up to you to set the tone. Think of it as generating good karma – if you’re nice to them then they, in turn, will treat you with the same kindness and respect.
Give Positive Feedback and Mean it
There’s no such thing as giving too much praise, but it has to come from the heart. Everybody likes the glow of satisfaction when they’ve been told they’ve done a good job, and that little morale boost can lead them to even greater things. That said, there’s no point giving someone a pat on the back when you don’t mean it. Give credit where it’s due, but don’t offer positive feedback just because you think it might make someone work a little harder or like you a little more.
It’s not easy occupying a senior position in a company, and harder still when your team aren’t completely behind you. Winning them round will make life easier for everyone. It’s not rocket science – simply show compassion, be a good listener and let them know when they get things right. You don’t necessarily have to be their best friend, but get your employees to like working for you and you’ll find your office is a happier, more productive place.
Lizzie Exton writes for Inspiring Interns, which specialises in sourcing candidates for internships. To browse our graduate jobs London listings, visit our website.
